We've extended our Year of Ear!

Untitled Art Society partnered with Elephant Artist Relief throughout 2014 and is pleased to announce that we will be continuing this partnership in 2015!We are looking forward to some great Year of EAR collaborative programming which will work to support and celebrate the important work of this Calgary organization!

UMBRELLA VISUAL ARTS CONFERENCE 2015

Saturday, May 2nd, 201510AM - 4PM@ Freemasons Hall 320 – 12 Ave SW

The second Umbrella Visual Arts Conference will bring together artists and cultural workers for a full-day event of panel discussions, artists-in-residence, and a facilitated workshop.

Make sure to join us at 10AM for a welcome song by Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes, a performance by Cora-Allan Wickliffe, and some introductions from EAR and UAS.

The first panel discussion will be moderated by Lindsey Sharman, and will explore how conflict and trauma are processed, managed, and considered through the making and experiencing of art, and how art can act as a tool for overcoming obstacles.

After a free lunch we will come back together for a group discussion facilitated by Son Edworthy. The group discussion will give panel and audience participants a chance to discuss the themes of the conference in an open-forum workshop during which questions and concerns raised by the panel discussions can be further discussed and possible solutions workshopped.

Umbrella 2015 will be addressing narratives of the suffering artist and how they are perpetuated, actualized, and challenged, as well as discussing art-making as social action and community investment.

UAS and EAR would like to invite artists who are currently completing their post-secondary degree to submit artistic work relating to this subject matter to be presented over the course of the conference.

For more information on Umbrella Visual Arts Conference please see our website.

Please contact the UAS Programming Coordinator by email at info@uascalgary.orgor by phone at 403-262-7911 if you have any questions.

UMBRELLA VISUAL ARTS CONFERENCE APRIL 2014

With the aim of mirroring the concerns of Calgary’s visual art communities, UMBRELLA brings important and relevant issues to the forefront of the conversation and provides a forum for their discussion. UMBRELLA provides an opportunity to address issues that are specific to our communities through a democratic environment that is inclusive and safe; as an open invitation to everyone in the city who engages with and is impacted by the visual arts. UMBRELLA aspires to engage all corners of the Calgary arts community by bringing together voices from diverse groups and organizations throughout Calgary.Topics for discussion include alternative economies and entrepreneurship, wellness and mental health issues, and the benefits of collaboration and self-initiated projects.

Elephant, Calgary’s Artist Relief Society, is a charitable organization that exists to provide a support framework for visual artists practicing in Calgary. We celebrate the diversity of artistic expression that exists but is sometimes challenged to thrive and prosper in our city.

We are committed to building and maintaining the practical support necessary to sustain the health, well-being, and livelihood of those in our visual arts community who have dedicated their lives to the practice of making art.

Elephant envisions a healthy arts community ensuring a continued and rich cultural landscape for us all.

Goals and Services: We focus to provide value in the community. Our primary goals are: to provide emergency funding for artists in crisis, to grow our Relief Fund through a commitment to fundraising, to create alliances in the community that strengthen our ability to provide services in the future, to increase the public awareness about what we do, and to grow the Elephant membership. ﻿Emergency Funding:﻿ We provide financial assistance to professional visual artists residing in Calgary, who are in urgent financial need due to an unforeseen emergency. Individual artists are able to apply to us for emergency funding. The amount and kind of assistance provided depends on the assessment and particular circumstances of each application. Decisions for funding approval are (based on our policies and the information provided in the application and supporting documentation) by way of committee approval. Both the maximum amount an individual artist receives and the total amount of money we set aside for applications varies from year to year. Through careful budgeting of both time and money, we are able to carry on these services, grow our Relief Fund and contribute positively to a healthy arts community in other ways. If you or someone in our community is in a situation that is critical, please contact us. Elephant is willing to look at individual situations to determine if there is a way that we can be of assistance. Please see the Apply for Funds page on our website. We do not instigate fundraising activities for individuals. Our major biennial fundraising event also acts as a vehicle for awareness and community-building. If a fundraiser for an artist in the community is required, it must be initiated and organized by friends or family. In these instances, Elephant is happy to assist in any way that we are able. For more information on EAR:http://www.elephantartistrelief.com/ elephantartistrelief@gmail.com